Baseball game apparatus



Mal ch 12, 1968 w. s. MURZYN 3,372,933

BASEBALL GAME APPARATUS Filed Dec. 10, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 t J 554 3* M93 INVENTOR. 4044 rse s. Mmez Y/v,

.47702/1/EYS.

March 12, 1968 w. s. MURZYN 3,372,933

BASEBALL GAME APPARATUS Filed Dec. 10, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 7.

INVENTOR. 4041758 5. Muzzy/v,

United States Patent 3,372,933 BASEBALL GAME APPARATUS Walter S. Murzyn, 1613 Caroline Ava, Whiting, Ind. 4-6394 Filed Dec. 10, 1965, Ser. No. 512,930 7 filaims. (Cl. 273-88) This invention relates to ball game apparatus, and more particularly to a unitized baseball game apparatus, designed for the simulated playing of baseball games, without the use of game pieces and related accessories.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of skill game apparatus of the kind indicated, which enables the playing, by two players or teams, of close simulations of actual baseball games, and the carrying out of the mental operations and thought-out moves involved therein, as made by actual batters and pitchers in the course of games, undistracted by any need to use accompanying charts, scoring or move-indicating charts, gamepieces, and other accessories; and wherein the results of batters and pitchers actions are immediately visually available to the players.

Another object of the invention is the provision of simple, inexpensive, compact, and easily portable game apparatus of the character indicated above, which lends itself to being manufactured in various large sizes and various materials, as well as in miniature forms suitable for inclusion in merchandising packages, as prizes or premiums, the feature of the absence of separate game pieces, scoring devices, charts, and other accessories, subject to being lost, misplaced, or damaged being an advantage over game apparatus requiring such accessories.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a top perspective view of game apparatus of the present invention, showing components thereof in operative, rather than storage positions;

FIGURE 2 is a view, like FIGURE 1, taken from the right of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged top plan view of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a vertical section taken on the line 4-4 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURES 5, 6 and 7 are plan views of the main components of the apparatus; and

FIGURE 8 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of a portion of the playing field plate.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the illustrated game apparatus comprises a relatively stationary polygonal base plate 10, a rotary circular disc plate 12, over-lying and bearing upon the base plate It), a reduced area substantially square intermediate or slide plate 14, overlying the disc 12, and a square or diamond-shaped top or playing field plate 16, which is relatively stationary, and which overlies the slide plate 14.

The base plate 10, as shown posed and parallel first and respectively, and opposed and parallel second base and home base sides 20 and 22, respectively. The sides 17 and 20 and the sides 18 and 22 meet in first and third base corners 24 and 26, respectively. The remaining corners of the base plate are truncated to provide a relatively short home base side 28 and a longer center field side 30, which are parallel to each other.

On a line between the corners 24 and 26, and on the longitudinal centerline of the base plate 10, the base plate is formed with an opening 32, offset toward the center field side 30, passing the shank 34 of a pivot pin 36, having an enlarged head 38, on its lower end, engaged with the underside of the base plate 111.

The disc plate 21, as shown in FIGURE 6, is slightly smaller in diameter than the maximum width of the base plate 10, and is formed with a center opening 40,

in FIGURE 5, has opthird base sides 17 and 18,

passing the shank 34 of the pivot pin 36. As a result of the ofi-setting of the pivot pin, the disc plate 12 has a segment 42 exposed to view, beyond the center field side 36 of the base plate, as shown in FIGURE 3.

Produced in any suitable manner, on the upper surface of the rotary plate 12, are circumferentially spaced sectors 44, along each of which, running from the center of the plate 12, toward its peripheral edge 46', are divergent baseball play designations 48, such as steal, safe, strike, foul, fast ball, slow ball, l-base hit, and the like, which designations dictate the plays of the game.

The slide plate 14, as shown in FIGURE 7, is smaller in area than and is shaped substantially conformably to the base plate 10, and overlies the disc plate 12. A centered longitudinal closed slot 51) is formed through the slide plate, extends from the center thereof, toward the center field side 52 of the slide plate, and passes the shank 34 of the pivot pin 36, whereby the slide plate 14 is longitudinally slidable, relative to the disc plate 12, and the base plate 13. On its home base side, the slide plate 14 is formed with a parallel sided longitudinal handle extension 54, which comes to a point 56,. at its outer end.

The upper surface of the handle extension 54 is suitably formed with outwardly succeeding, transversely elongated areas 58, each of which contains a different play designation 60, such as high pitched ball, middle pitched ball, low pitched ball, steal, and take the pitch. A relatively small rectangular window 62 is formed in the slide plate 14, in line with and disposed crosswise of the slot 59, and at a location between the slot 50 and the handle extension 54, and in a position to selectively exposed designations 48 in selected sectors 44 on the disc plate 12.

The top or playing field plate 16 overlies the slide plate 14, is of substantially the same area and shape as the base plate 19, and is registered with the base plate 10. The plate 16 is formed with an opening 64 passing the shank of the pivot pin 36, and this pin has an enlarged head 66, on its upper end, which bears upon the upper surface of the top plate 16.

The upper surface or" the top plate 16 is suitably formed with a baseball diamond 68, which is of only a fraction of the area of the top plate 16, and is offset toward the home base side of the top plate, on the longitudinal centerline thereof.

The diamond 68 has first base, second base, third base, and home base lines 70, 72, 74, and 76, which severally meet the ends of base area outlining arcs 78, and a home base area 80. At locations centered on the base areas, the top plate 16 is cut away to provide slots 82, along one side of each of which are flexibly connected first. second, and third base flaps 84, 86, and 88, respectively which are adapted to be bent up to indicate the presence of a base runner or runners holding corresponding bases. Rows of similar but other slots and indicator flaps, indicated as Home Team, Inning, and Visitors are located along the left, center, and right field sides of the playing field. Another row of such slots and flaps, indicated as Balls, Strikes, and Outs, is located along the inner side of the Inning row.

The top plate 16 is further out to provide a relatively wide and relatively long longitudinal slot 91), on the longitudinal centerline of the top plate, which is located between an outlined pitchers mound area 92, and the home plate area 80. A flap 94 is flexibly connected along one side of the slot 90.

On the center field side of the top plate 16 is a relatively large triangular background flap 96, which, in the storage condition of the apparatus, lies flat, but which is adapted to be bent up at right angles, to the top plate 16. A smaller triangular flap 98 is similarly connected to the home base side of the top plate 16.

To play a baseball game with the above-described apparatus, the person playing pitcher selects a pitch by rotating the disc pitchers plate 12, until the desired designation 43 appears on the segment 42, behind the background fiap 96, out of sight of the player serving as the batter and positioned behind the smaller flap 98, behind the home base area of the diamond 68.

The batter then decides how to bat, and moves the batters slide plate 14, endwise; so that a corresponding designation 6% appears next to the flap 98. Neither player can see what play the other has thus selected.

The door 94 of the slot 9t? having been lifted, such selection of position of the slide plate 14 causes the slot 62 therein to expose a correspondingly positioned designation 43, in one of the segments 44, on the selector disc 12, such designation 58 then appearing to View in the slot 90. In the event that this exposure of a designation 48 calls for the batter to reach base, the related base flap is bent up to mark the batters position on the base.

Further and successive adjustments of the disc plate 12 and the slide plate 14 determined further plays of the game, the results of which determine the outcome of the game in accordance with real baseball rules and regulations.

What is claimed is:

1. Baseball game apparatus comprising a support, a rotary pitchers pitch selecting plate journalled on the support, a batters slide plate supported above the pitchers plate and movable endwise thereacross, and a playing field plate supported over the batters slide plate, the pitchers plate having circumferentially arranged play designating means thereon, said pitcher plate having a peripheral portion thereof exposed to view at a side of the playing field plate, said batters slide plate having a tab exposed beyond another side of the playing field plate, said tab having spaced difierent play designations disposed there-along, the playing field plate being formed with opening means adapted to selectively cover and expose to view play designations related to the play designations on the pitchers plate and the batters plate, the slide plate being formed with a slot adapted to register with said opening means so as to expose through said opening means selected play designating means on the pitchers plate according to the endwise adjustment of the slide plate relative to the other plates.

2. Baseball game apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said opening means comprises a longitudinal slot 4 extending lengthwise between the said sides of the playing field plate.

3. Baseball game apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said opening means comprises a longitudinal slot extending lengthwise between the said sides of the playing field plate, and a bendable flap extending along a side of the slot, said flap being normally depressed to close the slot and adapted to be elevated to open the slot.

4. Baseball game apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said playing field plate has an upper surface formed with a baseball diamond having first, second, third, and home base areas, the first, second, and third base areas being formed with bendable base flaps, said fiaps being adapted to be depressed in the absence of a base runner on a base area and adapted to be elevated to indicate the presence of a base runner thereon.

5. Baseball game apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said sides of the playing field plate have normally vertical flaps thereon, said flaps serving to conceal the tab of the batters slide plate and the designations on the exposed part of the rotary pitchers plate.

6. Baseball game apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said playing field plate has third, first, and outfield sides, rows disposed severally along said ides, each of said rows being composed of slots having upwardly bendable flaps therealong, the rows serving as home team, innings, and visitors team identifications as to players.

7. Baseball game apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said playing field plate has third, first, and outfield sides, rows disposed severally along said sides, each of said rows being composed of slots having upwardly bendable flaps therealong, the rows serving as home team, innings, and visitors team identifications as to players, and a further transverse row of slots and upwardly bendable fiap on the playing field plate extending along the innings row adapted to indicate existing balls, strikes, and outs.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,666,337 4/1928 McDade 35-315 X 1,925,842 9/1933 Mayville 273-93 3,199,228 8/1965 Rubin 3535 RICHARD C. PINKHAM, Primary Examiner.

P. SHAPIRO, Assistant Examiner. 

1. BASEBALL GAME APPARATUS COMPRISING A SUPPORT, A ROTARY PITCHER''S PITCH SELECTING PLATE JOURNALLED ON THE SUPPORT, A BATTER''S SLIDE PLATE SUPPORTED ABOVE THE PITCHER''S PLATE AND MOVABLE ENDWISE THEREACROSS, AND A PLAYING FIELD PLATE SUPPORTED OVER THE BATTER''S SLIDE PLATE, THE PITCHER''S PLATE HAVING CIRCUMFERENTIALLY ARRANGED PLAY DESIGNATING MEANS THEREON, SAID PITCHER''S PLATE HAVING A PERIPHERAL PORTION THEREOF EXPOSED TO VIEW AT A SIDE OF THE PLAYING FIELD PLATE, SAID BATTER''S SLIDE PLATE HAVING A TAB EXPOSED BEYOND ANOTHER SIDE OF THE PLAYING FIELD PLATE, SAID TAB HAVING SPACED DIFFERENT PLAY DESIGNATIONS DISPOSED THERE-ALONG, THE PLAYING FIELD PLATE BEING FORMED WITH OPENING MEANS ADAPTED TO SELECTIVELY COVER AND EXPOSE TO VIEW PLAY DESIGNATIONS RELATED TO THE PLAY DESIGNATIONS ON THE PITCHER''S PLATE AND THE BATTER''S PLATE, THE SLIDE PLATE BEING FORMED WITH A SLOT ADAPTED TO REGISTER WITH SAID OPENING MEANS SO AS TO EXPOSE THROUGH SAID OPENING MEANS SELECTED PLAY DESIGNATING MEANS ON THE PITCHER''S PLATE ACCORDING TO THE ENDWISE ADJUSTMENT OF THE SLIDE PLATE RELATIVE TO THE OTHER PLATES. 